'You see, I'm a little unhappy about how things are going with Mr. Albright. As a matter of fact, I'm unhappy about almost everything that's happened to me since I met the man.'
'And what's that?'
'A woman, a friend of mine, was killed when she started asking questions about Miss Monet and the police think I had something to do with it. I've been mixed up with hijackers and wild people all over town and all because I asked a couple'a questions about your friend.'
'Has anything happened to Daphne?'
He looked so worried that I was happy to say, 'The last time I saw her she looked just fine.'
'You saw her?'
'Yeah. Night before last.'
Tears welled up in his pale, child's eyes.
'What did she say?' he asked.
'We were in trouble, Mr. Carter. But you see that's how it's crazy. The first time I saw her she was talking like she was a French girl. But then, after we found the body, she sounded like she could have come from San Diego or anywhere else.'
'Body? What body?'
'I'm'a get to that but first we got to come to some kinda understanding.'
'You want money.'
'Uh-uh, no. I been paid already an' I guess that comes from you anyway. But what I need is for you to help me understand what's happening. You see, I don't trust your man Albright at all and you can forget the police. I got this one friend, Joppy, but this is too much for him. So I figure you the only one can help. I gotta figure that you want the girl 'cause you love'er and if I'm wrong 'bout that then my ass is had.'
'I love Daphne,' he said.
I was almost embarrassed to hear him. He wasn't trying to act like a man at all. He was wringing his hands trying to keep from asking about her while I talked.
'Then you gotta tell me why Albright is lookin' for her.'
Carter ran his finger along his hairline again and looked out at the mountains. He waited another moment before saying, 'I was told, by a man I trust, that Mr. Albright is good at doing things, confidentially. There are reasons that I don't want this affair in the papers.'
'You married?'
'No, I want to marry Daphne.'
'She didn't steal anything from you?'
'Why do you ask?'
'Mr. Albright seems real concerned about her luggage and I thought she had something you wanted back.'
'You might call it stealing, Mr. Rawlins, it doesn't matter to me. She took some money when she left but I don't care about that. I want her. You say she was fine when you saw her?'
'How much money?'
'I don't see where that matters.'
'If you want me to answer questions then you give too.'
'Thirty thousand dollars.' He said it as if it was just some pocket change on the bathroom shelf. 'I had it at home because we were giving the people in our various concerns half-a-day holiday as a sort of bonus but the day we chose was a payday and the bank couldn't deliver the cash that early so I had them deliver it to my home.'
'You let the bank deliver that much money to your house?'
'It was only once, and what were the odds I'd be robbed that night?'
'About one hundred percent, I guess.'
He smiled. 'The money means nothing to me. Daphne and I had a fight and she took the money because she thought I'd never talk to her again. She was wrong.'
'Fight about what?'
'They tried to blackmail her. She came to me and told me about it. They wanted to use her to get at me. She made up her mind to leave, to save me.'
'What they got on her?'
'I'd rather not say.'
I let it pass. 'Albright know about the money?'
'Yes. Now I've answered your questions, I want to know about her. Is she all right?'
'Last I saw of her she was fine. She was looking for her friend— Frank Green.'
I thought that a man's name might shake him up but Todd Carter didn't even seem to hear it. 'What did you say about a body?'
